Replacement
by Mangascribbler
Summary: "Ace…" he whispered, "Ace, help me. Please." Ace crouched down before Boris with a grim look.  "Your clock is winding down Boris. There's nothing either you or I could do now. Besides, you're a role-holder. You'll have a replacement anyways."


Rain spilled from the sky in full torrents, muffling the sound in the dull _whoosh _of water spattering the forest floor. Blood floated on the surface of the puddles like red lilies, disturbed by ripples and more precipitation.

Another drop of blood fell into the small pool, dripping off cold fingers.

Boris gasped ragged breath after ragged breath into his lungs even as they filled with blood. Who would have thought that Peter would have gone this far?

Alice had only been playing with his boa, and he had wrapped it around her shoulders as _some _shelter from the rain. They had jumped into a puddle together, gotten a bit wet and laughed at the mud splatters in each others' faces.

Alice had given him a kiss on the cheek, telling him that he was her best friend, her _very _best friend, and he had been content with that.

Content that even if he could never have her that he could be _with _her. That he could be by her side. That he could comfort her when she needed it. That he could be her playmate or her counselor.

Boris fell to his knees, panting, coughing, bleeding. Staining the very leaves beneath his feet a dark crimson.

Alice had left to return to Julius' clock tower to make some coffee and warm up, and then… and then… and then what? He was having trouble remembering.

And then Peter had come. Boris had stood smiling after Alice as she ran through the rain, covering her already soaked head with her hands and waving to him as she left. She had vanished into the gloom and Boris had put his boa up close to his face to inhale her scent. She smelled of coffee and clocks from the tower, but beneath that she smelled of vitality and warmth, of roses and orchids and freshly cut grass. And rain. She had also smelled of rain.

Peter had come behind Boris and alerted the cat to his presence with the slightest scuff of shoes on cobbled street. Boris had turned with a smile, greeted the rabbit and then halted. Peter had been crying.

"She's never told _me _that I was her best friend." Peter had hissed with eyes narrowed at Boris, gun pointed with shaking hands at the other mans' chest. "She's only pushed me away! Why? What do you have that I _don't_?"

Boris had raised his hands in defense, tried to explain that Alice and he were _friends _and just that. But Peter had been driven over the edge.

"You're taking my Alice from me!" He had howled. "I won't let you! Alice is mine!"

The gun had gone off, it had pierced him, he had felt the searing agony that spread from the wound and drove itself into his flesh…

Boris had run, leapt, somersaulted away, running faster, faster, faster… until sounds of pursuit had died in his ears.

But no amount of running could get him away from death.

Boris collapsed into the bloody leaves at last, unable to support himself anymore. He lay face down with the scent of freshly turned leaf litter in his nose. He struggled to get onto his back so the pressure would be off his wound.

Pressure would only force the bullet deeper.

Boris stroked his soaked, bloody boa, still able to scent Alice slightly through the gore and filth. Tears filled his eyes.

He hadn't thought Peter would take it so far.

Boris heaved another shuddering breath and coughed painfully, blood leaking from the corners of his mouth.

It hurt so terribly… but he didn't want it to end.

If it ended, he would never see Alice again.

He closed his eyes. He was so tired… so cold… the pain was leaving his body at last. Maybe he was allowed to rest.

A rustle and the crunching of footsteps forced his eyes open again. Peter. What if it was Peter?

Had to get away, had to hide, had to run… Boris forced himself to his feet, biting his lips to keep from crying out as a shot of pain spread from the hole in his body. He stumbled forward, sagging against a tree for support He couldn't escape that insane rabbit like this. If was going to come to a fight, so be it.

Boris lifted his gun and aimed at where the bushes were trembling. They parted and Boris put the slightest pressure on the trigger, ready to fire at a moments' notice. A dark shape rose from the dripping foliage and Boris shot, the bang resounding around the forest.

There was a cry of, "Hey!" as Ace tumbled from the bush, bloodstained cloak fluttering as he ducked the bullet meant for his face. Boris dropped the gun, and his strength left his limbs. He fell to the ground again even as Ace stood.

"Ace…" he whispered, "Ace, help me. Please." Ace crouched down before Boris with a grim look.

"Your clock is winding down Boris. There's nothing either you or I could do now. Besides, you're a role-holder. You'll have a replacement anyways." Ace said sympathetically. Boris reached forward and gripped the front of Ace's cloak with both hands, clinging desperately.

"No! I don't want to die, Ace! I want to see Alice again! I want to keep playing with Dee and Dum, I want to splash in puddles and eat the weird food Alice makes and to ride the rollercoaster with Julius to see him puke and to keep trying to get the better of the Heart Palace guards! I want to _keep living_!" Tears began to fall from Boris' eyes and he turned away from the other man. "I want to keep living."

"Don't make this any harder, Boris. I have to take your clock." Ace sighed. Boris' eyes widened, and he scrabbled in the dirt for his gun without taking his eyes from Aces' calm face. "I have to kill you now, so Julius can fix your clock and give it to another."

"I don't… I don't want…" Boris stammered with panic as he found his gun. "I don't want to die!"

BANG! BANGBANGBANG! BANG!

Boris fell back, his eyelids flickering closed. He didn't want to leave. He wanted to see Alice one more time… Alice… Alice… Ali-

Ace held the still clock gently in his hands, cradling it like a living thing and staring sadly down at Boris. There may be a replacement for him, but there would never be another Boris. Ace tucked the clock gently inside his cloak and brushed a hair out of Boris' eyes, blinking back tears.

How he hated his job

…

Alice double checked her basket, making sure she had everything. She had packed smoked salmon and fishcakes for Boris and a canteen of tea along with some small triangular sandwiches for herself. She smiled as she thought about how excited Boris would be to see the fish.

She stepped out of the clock tower, calling to Julius as she left.

"I'm going to see Boris! I'll be back in time to make you another pot of coffee, alright?" Julius looked as if he wanted to tell her something, but she was already gone.

Alice scampered to the Amusement park and admired the way the dew sparkled on each individual leaf and flower, humming to herself and laughing at the fact that she hadn't seen Peter yet. That white creep should have taken the hint by now.

Alice used her pass to get into the park, giggling as she spotted a familiar pair of shoulders…

But it seemed that her feline friend was wearing a hooded jacket today. Perhaps he had caught a cold from their play in yesterdays' rain?

She ran over to her buddy and threw her arms around his waist, basket swinging wildly. He turned to look at her in surprise.

Alice stumbled back in shock.

This boy had teal-streaked silver hair and silver eyes fleck with blue. His eyes were underscored by markings similar to Boris, but thinner and lighter. Not Boris. No, his eyes were wider, his nose straighter, giving him a look of bewildered innocence.

"I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Alice stammered nervously. "Who are you?"

The guy put his hood down to reveal twitching cats' ears and then waved his hand in a friendly gesture.

"I'm Boris, the Amusement park's cat! May I ask your name, young lady?"

**Please review and go to my profile to vote on whether or not this story should be more than a one shot please :) This is my first H.N.K.N.A. story, so don't be harsh XD**


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